Improvement in preparing rattan for chair-seats



Patented Dec-12,1871.

GARUNER AJWATKENS.

Improvement in Preparing Rattan for Chair Seats, etc.

am a 24% m m n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARDNER A. WATKINS, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN PREPARING RATTAN FOR CHAIR-SEATS, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,919, dated December 12, I871.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARDNER A.WATKINs,of Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Preparing Rattan Strands; and that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being made to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to prepare strands of rattan for weaving; and the invention consists in removing the enamel surface from the ends of the stands by scar-ting them down preparatory to splicing, and connecting the ends together in the manner hereinafter referred to.

As is well known the outer surface of rattan is covered by a silicious enamel, which is extremely hard, and to a great extent impervious to moisture, so that any attempt to join one or more strands together by means of cement, is sure to prove ineeifctual 5 hence, the great value to be derived from splicing such strands together for the purpose of weaving them in a cloth of any desired length and width has to some extent been lost. My invention fully obviates this difliculty, as will be clearly seen from the accompanying description and drawing, wherein- Figure 1 represents the cane scarfed, with enamel removed; Fig. 2, the scarfed ends charged with cement; and Fig. 3, the ends of the strands spliced.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

A represents a strand of rattan split from the stick in the usual manner. these strands is limited to a great extent it is essential in order to successfully Weave them in a loom that the strands be spliced one to the other to any desired length. In order to accomplish this I scarf the ends ott, as shown at a, Fig. 1. This scarfing is for the double purpose of removing the enamel from the surface of the strand, so that cement Will adhere thereon, and also to enable one scarfed end to be cemented to another without increasing the thickness of the strand at the splice. The scarfing may be done in many ways not necessary here to mention, since I do not limit myself to any particular means of accomplishing this object. The ends of the strands bein g scarfed, as above described, are next charged with cement, and when a sufficient quantity of strands are so prepared the cemented ends are exposed to a jet of dry steam or other artificial heat, until the cement liquefies, and then upon pressing the scarfed and cemented ends together, they will at once adhere, and the strands thus prepared or spliced may be reeled up in any de sired lengths, ready for weaving.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The process of splicing strands of rattan by removing the enamel from the surface of the same and scar-fin g the ends thereof.

2. The process of splicing the ends of rattan strands together by immersing the scarfed ends thereof in cement, and afterward liquefying the cement deposited thereon, and subjecting them l to pressure.

GARDNER A. XVATKINS. Witnesses:

Since the length of FRANCIS RICHARDSON,

i (inns. F. RICHARDSON. (169) 

